{"id":88924,"date":"2025-08-30T11:53:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T11:53:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard"},"modified":"2025-08-30T11:59:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T11:59:46","slug":"sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard","title":{"rendered":"SARS going after one group of South Africans hard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>Tax experts have noted that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is increasing its focus on high-earning South African expats.<\/p>\n

Imagine being a South African expatriate earning a high salary overseas, with housing, vehicles, and other generous benefits included in your package.<\/p>\n

Then, SARS sends you a letter demanding months of payslips, payroll reconciliations, proof of foreign taxes paid, travel dates, and even the duration of every international trip you\u2019ve taken.<\/p>\n

According to Tanya Tosen, Master Mobility Specialist at Tax Consulting South Africa, this is no longer unusual.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the 5th Global Mobility Conference in Johannesburg, she said audits targeting expatriates are becoming increasingly detailed and aggressive.<\/p>\n

\u201cSARS has asked employers for 12 months of payslips for expat staff, especially where benefits like housing and company cars are involved,\u201d Tosen explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they make it clear that even more documents can be requested at any stage.\u201d Tosen added that SARS sees expatriates as a lucrative source of revenue.<\/p>\n

Their packages are often far higher than local salaries, sometimes ten times more, and the complex nature of cross-border tax structures makes them prime targets.<\/p>\n

\u201cSARS is not pulling punches,\u201d she said. \u201cThe potential recovery is too high to ignore.\u201d<\/p>\n

On a global level, expat salaries average between $75,000 (R1.3 million) and $80,000 (R1.41 million) a year, with Switzerland and the US among the highest-paying destinations.<\/p>\n

Finance, ICT, and engineering lead the pack for lucrative packages. For SARS, these numbers highlight why South Africans abroad are being monitored so closely.<\/p>\n

However, audits are not just a problem for individuals. Employers also carry major responsibility. \u201cExpatriate tax compliance is a core employer duty,\u201d said Tosen.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompanies are accountable for accurate payroll reporting, tax compliance, and related payments.\u201d Getting it wrong not only leads to financial penalties but can damage an organisation\u2019s reputation.<\/p>\n

SARS is linking up with foreign tax authorities<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the most common mistakes is misunderstanding tax residency. Many South Africans believe leaving the country permanently or on long-term assignment automatically severs their tax ties.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is not the case. If you haven\u2019t formally ceased your tax residency with SARS, your worldwide income may still be taxed in South Africa,\u201d Tosen warned.<\/p>\n

Even when residency status is properly managed, cross-border income brings added complications. Double Taxation Agreements and foreign tax credits need to be applied correctly to avoid over- or underpayment.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany employers misinterpret the rules. Incorrect withholding or reporting is common when expats earn across multiple jurisdictions,\u201d said Tosen.<\/p>\n

Fringe benefits are another area of concern. Housing, schooling, relocation expenses, flights home, and company vehicles are often under-reported or omitted from payroll.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are easy revenue recovery points for SARS. Even minor payroll errors or incorrect valuations can result in big shortfalls, penalties, and interest,\u201d Tosen explained.<\/p>\n

She added that SARS can audit as far back as it wants if it suspects underreporting or misclassification.<\/p>\n

The scale of the global expat market makes this a growing issue. More than 300 million people currently live outside their birth countries, about 3.6% of the world\u2019s population.<\/p>\n

By 2035, this number is expected to rise to 350 million. The US hosts the most expats (about 51 million), while the UAE has the largest proportion, with 88% of its residents being foreign-born.<\/p>\n

Portugal and Mexico are currently the fastest-growing expat destinations, driven by digital nomad visas, Golden Visa programmes, and relatively low living costs.<\/p>\n

Tosen noted that more than half of all expats are employees or professionals. Migrants and refugees account for 18%, retirees 7%, with the remainder made up of dependents, lifestyle movers, and long-term travellers.<\/p>\n

The structure of expat work is also shifting. \u201cLong-term postings of two to five years are on the decline,\u201d Tosen said. \u201cCompanies want more flexibility and cost control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, short-term assignments of three to 12 months are rising, as well as permanent transfers to fill skills gaps at a lower cost.<\/p>\n

Commuter assignments, where employees live in one country but work across borders, are growing in regions like the EU and Gulf states. Virtual assignments, where digital nomads work remotely from anywhere, are also expanding rapidly.<\/p>\n

SARS is linking data with the Department of Home Affairs and foreign tax authorities, making it harder than ever to slip through the cracks. \u201cThe era of full expat compliance has arrived,\u201d Tosen said. \u201cNon-compliance is no longer an option.\u201d<\/p>\n

She urged companies to act early by investing in proper payroll systems, accurate tax residency assessments, and specialist advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmployers who act strategically will protect themselves from penalties and reputational damage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. Tax experts have noted that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is increasing its focus on high-earning South African expats. Imagine being a South African expatriate earning a high salary overseas, with housing, vehicles, and other generous benefits included in your package. Then, SARS sends you a letter demanding months of payslips, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":88923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[275],"class_list":["post-88924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","tag-south-africa-2"],"yoast_head":"\nSARS going after one group of South Africans hard - South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tax experts have noted that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is increasing its focus on high-earning South Afric ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SARS going after one group of South Africans hard\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tax experts have noted that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is increasing its focus on high-earning South Afric ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"South Africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-30T11:53:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-30T11:59:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/sites\/31\/2025\/08\/sm_1756542539.052662.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"SARS going after one group of South Africans hard\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-30T11:53:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-30T11:59:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard\"},\"wordCount\":766,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/sites\/31\/2025\/08\/sm_1756542539.052662.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"South-Africa\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"economy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/sars-going-after-one-group-of-south-africans-hard\",\"name\":\"SARS going after one group of South Africans hard - 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